The present invention relates to equipment of the type used in the manufacture of instrument panels and nameplates, and, more particularly, to a machine for such an application which automatically locates and punches registration holes in a sheet printed with multiple like patterns; these registration holes are then used in conjunction with a feed-bar to locate or register a pattern punch and die to each pattern to form and punch out individual panels.
Previously, a sheet was printed with like patterns aligned in strips and precisionly sheered along one side and on each end. A pattern punch and die was fitted with a "Button Strip" which had notches on each end and a back-stop used for registration of each pattern under the punch. The operator would slide the strip with the printed pattern under the punch and push it against the side edge stop and against the notch at the end. The punch would be activated to form and punch out the panel. Next the operator would lift the strip with the patterns and slide in one position to the right and into the next notch cut into the button strip at the proper location, the punch is again activated and the second panel is formed and punched. This process continues until the center of the strip is reached. When the center is reached the operator uses notches located on the left side of the button strip. Again the punch is activated and the pattern is formed and punched. The strip is moved to the right but registers to a notch on the left side. This process continues until all of the panels are formed and punched.
This method, although used successfully for many years, has certain limitations such as positioning errors due to operator error. On a sheet with many patterns, it is difficult to consistently and accurately position the pattern strip on the button strip stops. Also, since the shearing of the sheet provides the reference edges, this must be done with great accuracy which can be obtained only with an expensive automatic sheer designed specifically for precision sheering.
It is thus obvious that there is a need to eliminate the operator error by providing a means to precisely locate the pattern under the pattern punch and die with a non precision movement by the operator, and to eliminate the requirement to precisely shear three edges of each strip. consists of a narrow flat bar with two precisionly located pins, one on each end, and V-notches located along the length of the bar to locate each pattern. The V-notch sits on a pin that is located in the die assembly. The sheet with the like patterns aligned in strips needs two registration holes punched at each end of each strip in predetermined locations to match those on the feed bar. The sheet is then coarsely sheared into strips. A strip is placed on the pins of the feed bar, with a pattern being located over the first notch. As the feed bar notch drops onto the registration pin it self aligns due to its V shape. This eliminates the need for the operator to critically align the pattern under the pattern punch and die. The punch is then activated and the pattern is formed and punched. The feed bar is lifted, slid to the right, and the next V-notch of the feed bar is dropped on the registration pin, where it again self aligns awaiting to be formed and punched. This process continues until each pattern has been formed and punched. The punched strip is removed and an unpunched strip is placed onto the feed bar, whereupon the above process is repeated.
Accordingly, it is seen that the only precision operation in this process is the punching of the two registration holes used by the feed bar. Thus, a need exists for a means to punch these registration holes without operator influence.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for precisely punching out registration holes in a sheet of patterns so that the latter can then be formed with a mechanism that utilizes the registration holes to precisely locate the pattern.